Shadow Fury
by Lt. Barnes
Summary: From darkness comes light. It only takes one dragon to change the future... and the past.


……...Pain. That was my first memory. My glorious introduction into this repulsive scenario called "life". I stood up stretching my wings in my small grey room. I look at the small window on the left side of it knowing there's someone watching me and snarl at it. I made a small ball out of Dark and swat at it, watching the sphere dissipate. There's a metallic click and the door to my room opened to reveal a human. Their long white outside shirts just make them look ugly, like the rest of this excruciating palace of hell. It was time for my daily routine. I laid on my back and put my forepaws in the air. The human leaned down and scanned my left forepaw, and measured my claws. When it was done, I rolled over and laid on my belly. The human measure me from head to tail and tapped on a glowy square it took out of its coat. "7148, youve grown three inches in the past week".

The human walked outside the room and came back with a metal bowl of fish. It set the bowl down in front of me, walked out, and closed the door. I heard the click of the door locking. I stared at the bowl with disgust. I swear they are trying to poison me. I resentfully choked down the fish, growling when I finished.

•••

When I finally got through with all the stupid routines, they let me outside in a caged area. There was a tiny canyon with a waterfall that flowed into a pond. To my right a high rock tower. And a bunch of trees at the back end. I pulled up my tail a bit, spread out my wings, and took another moment to look at my surroundings before taking off. I aimed for the trees using my tail as a rudder to steer my flight. I slowed myself before reaching the treeline, and landed on a large Oak. I dug my claws into the trunk and climbed down the tree. Looking over to the pond, I saw a small flicker of light within its depths. Fresh fish… Hell yeah! I eagerly walked over to the pond and looked into it again. They finally decided to give this place a proper ecosystem.

I put a paw in the water to test the temperature. Not too bad. Hopefully they have it heated from somewhere, or I won't be able to stay in long. I jumped and pressed my wings against my sides before I hit the water. Damn, it felt good! I looked to where I saw the reflection, but there was nothing there. In fact, there was nothing at all in the water. I used my tail to turn me around and began swimming back when I felt something move in the water. I stuck my head up for another breath of air and looked back to where I had seen the reflection. Nothing… Since I could still last a while with my air, I swam deeper. What was that? The water was almost black around me now. I released a stream of gas in my throat and ignited it illuminating the area. I ignored the bubbles floating up from my mouth and stared into the water. Nothing.

I released the gas disappointed in not finding anything. At that exact moment something grabbed my shoulders and clamped around my side. I flexed my wings and writhed trying to get the thing off me. It then wrapped around my neck. I turned my head to see what was attacking me. It was another dragon.

I stopped squirming and just sat there in the water looking at the dragon. It was a dark grey female with soft red eyes. She let go and started swimming to the surface. I followed. She reached the shore an entire minute before I did. I poked my head out of the water enjoying the fresh intake of air and looked over to see her laying on the grass watching me. I paddled to the bank and shook myself. The female just watching me. Not judgingly or expectantly, but just watching. It was very strange. Not only have I never made contact with another dragon, but I was now looking at a female. "Who are you?"

She just tilted her head and kept looking at me. I took a few wary steps toward her. She surprisingly put her head on the ground in an act of… submission? This only confused me more. I sat down in front of her and started thinking. Why was she here at the same time I was? If she wasn't in the complex originally, how did she get in?

My thoughts were stopped when she stood up and jumped on me forcing me to the ground. I laid there as she sat on my back. I looked back at her. She was… treating me as if I was a parent to her. Well, almost. She then laid down on my back. It was then that I was able to determine that she was younger than me. Her body length was almost two feet smaller than mine, but her tail claimed length that put us both at an almost even total. She unexpectedly whispered, "You're warm". And curled herself on my back. So she can talk. I guess that makes figuring this out a little easier. She eventually fell asleep on me so I had no other choice than to lay there and wait for her to wake up.

•••

I opened my eyes realizing I had fallen asleep. I look back to see that the female had laid her head between me neck and left shoulder with her wings extended around me. I chuckled to myself. Oh shit! I realized the humans hadn't come to take me back in. I looked up to where the entrance to the canyon is. The door was closed and most likely locked. They must have had a scheduling error and forgot. That was the most likely explanation. It still didn't explain why the female was here though. I decided to ask her when she woke up. Until then, I was stuck between her and the grass. I laid there patiently for her to wake, watching the rustling of the grass from the slight breeze that blew through the canyon.

After a time passed, she finally stirred. Yawning, she rolled off me and onto the grass. I stretched, spreading my wings and arching my back in an attempt to relieve my muscles of their stiffness. I looked over to the female. She had curled her tail around herself and rested her head on her paws. I asked her, "You got a name?"

She opened one eye and and replied, "Do you?"

I smiled at this. I didn't have a name, but I saw on a paper on of the humans were holding said 'Shadow Fury'. It must be a nickname or something. "Well, the humans call me Shadow Fury", I answered her.

"Shadow Fury…", she seemed to ponder the words as if looking for some prophetic meaning. "I didn't get called anything".

"Why not?", I asked.

"Who knows. They probably just like you more", She responded.

I sat there and thought about it for a minute. I had started putting together the pieces of the puzzle. So she is from the compound. They must have put us together for some reason, but what was it? She probably has some kind of nickname like me, but hasn't recognised it. Before I could think on things much further, I heard the alarm to warn any dragons outside to reenter the complex. "Damnit", I cursed. "It's not even evening yet though!" I got up and trudged my way back to the entrance. I heard the female following behind me.

We reached the opened door a few minutes later.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow", She said.

"Heh, maybe", I replied.

I was escorted to my room and my door was shut and locked once I entered. There was another bowl of fish in the corner of the room. Anything other than this putrid crap I would enjoy indulging in. But they think I'm a damn sea bird. I would even take carrion! For the millionth time, I swallowed the fish trying to ignore the stale bitter taste. After consuming the repulsive excuse for a meal, I looked at the small board that hangs in my room. Just wonderful. Tomorrow is experimentation day. I felt like I had read it wrong because they never call experimentation days what they were. I took another look. Augmentation day. Augmentation… What is that? I sat there waiting for one of the humans to come back in for the evening check-ups. One came in a few minutes later. We did the routine of laying on my back so the human can scan my number, measure me, and this time take a blood sample. I snarled at the human for not revealing their intentions.

The human was gone and I still had some time before night. I made another ball out of the Dark and wondered what I could do with it. Then I realised, the window! I peaked up at the weird blackish orange panel on the right wall. It was my turn to have some fun. I grinned as I dissipated the sphere and instead filled the entire room with the Dark. I pressed my head against the wall with my ears pricked listening for anything. I heard a loud thump and a very muffled voice. Then a loud slam. I chuckled to myself and removed the Dark from the room. A few moments later, I heard the metallic click of the door. I just sat up against the wall looking completely innocent, but feeling very amused. One of the humans walked in wearing a weird black thing that made him look fat. He glared at me, then at a human who was most likely the one behind the window. He then stepped out and closed and locked the door again. I curled up on the other side of the room and fell asleep wondering what tomorrow would bring.

•••

My eyes unexpectedly opened. It was still dark in the small room and from the very small amount of light that came through the one-way window, I could tell that the one behind it was asleep. It must've been around midnight or a little later. Something felt strange… something had happened or will happen. I had no idea what. I sat up and started thinking about what. Nothing came to mind. I relaxed myself so I could think a little straighter. Nothing. I just had blank thoughts. I flopped myself back on the floor and pushed the Dark around my eyes. I eventually returned to sleep.

Morning. I released the Dark and got up. Mmm time for more routines. I waited until the human came in and did the standard roll over. When it was done I stood on my hind legs and stretched my wings and forelegs. After a few more minutes, another human came in. Unlike the others, this one had hair that went to just below it's ears and a white thing covering most of its face. It opened a small case and showed me a syringe. Another vaccination?

I pressed my frills flat and showed it my neck waiting for the small twinge of pain. I felt the needle go in, the painful bubble of whatever they're putting into me, and the needle sliding back out. I looked back as the human put the syringe back in the case and leave the room. I started feeling numb. I couldn't feel the frill on the left side of my neck. I laid down and waited for the feeling to go away. It didn't. I eventually couldn't move at all. I felt my heart rate slowing and fell asleep.

Flashes of light danced across my vision as I slowly became conscious of my surroundings. I still couldn't move. I started to panic. I looked around me and saw one of the humans holding a small shiny thing before I blacked out.

It hurt. Everything hurt. Endless pain. I couldn't wake up. I felt every little prick. Every slice or stab. It hurt. I couldn't think. My mind a dense fog of one, single, thought. Pain.

•••

I finally woke up strapped to a table. Throbbing pain coming from every muscle in my body. It ached, it hurt, it was everything, but enjoyable. Eventually, one of the humans came and took me to my room. I laid limp as it set me down not daring to strain my bruised body in anyway. I looked at my paw in front of me. Whited skin lined where my bones are oftenly branching off in different directions.

The skin pulsed with each beat of my heart sending a throb of aching pain. Why… I laid there exhausted until the aches and pains dulled enough for me to finally sleep. I woke back up a few hours later. I looked over to see another bowl of fish in the corner. Fine. I unstabilly walked over and ate the fish. …It.. Doesn't taste bad… In fact it tasted almost fresh. Not nearly as metallic or plastic-like. Either they messed with my brain more than they should have, or they decided to give me real fish. Well, at least something good came out of this. I went back to the other side of the room and fell back asleep.

•••

There was some feeling of openness. It was strange and it started growing. That feeling of openness, like complete freedom. It just kept growing, like I could feel everything around me. I could sense, feel, no, see others around me. Like looking into a night sky full of stars. It was strange. I could almost feel their emotions, a twinge here and a glint there. Then I felt a tug. Some pulling sensation. I started feeling my own body again. My head spinning, now able to feel the tip of my tail, yet, I was asleep. I knew I was asleep. How is this possible..? I'm asleep. I opened my eyes, waking myself up. A wave of dizziness went through me and I laid there with my eyes shut tightly waiting for it to pass. It didn't. It grew stronger and became painful. I felt as if something was crushing my brain. I couldn't escape it. Then I blacked out.

I came to and weakly stood myself up making sure to keep my eyes closed. I forced my legs to walk until I bumped into a corner. I pressed my head into it and slowly opened one of my eyes. No pain. I opened the other one. Nope. I pulled my head out allowing more light to hit my eyes. A little dizziness, but nothing bad. I blinked a few times adjusting to the light. Everything looked… different. The room seemed more detailed. There was even a faint stain on one of the walls that I couldn't see before. I looked down at the white skin lines along my body. They had faded to a medium grey. Then I noticed that my jaws were aching. Not too much to be an annoyance, just a small feeling of something isn't right. I opened my mouth and heard the faint sound of metal scraping. I jumped a little. I opened my mouth again and heard it once more. They couldn't even let my have my teeth?! If they replaced my teeth they probably changed my claws too. I looked down as I held a paw outstretched in front of me. They were the same as before. These humans are idiots.

•••

Today they finally decided to let me out in the canyon again. It had been three days since the "augmentation". The white lines had healed fully and gained a cover of fresh scales. I had gotten used to the new pieces of my body. I had learned to talk with the dragon in the next room with my mind, and my teeth stopped scraping each other.

I raced over to the rock tower, climbing it, and heaving myself into the air. I spread my wings half way and jetted my way into the lake making a huge splash as I broke the surface of the water. I saw the female spin around looking scared for her life. I looked her in the eyes and smiled watching her expression relax. We both swam to the surface.

"What took you so long?".

"I don't really want to talk about it...", I replied.

"Why?".

"Something happened, let's just leave it at that".

"O-okay…"

"You smell different"  
Of course she notices that...The augmentation had changed more than a few things about me. I growled a little and looked her in the eyes.

"They changed me. They changed me more than I can explain. It hurt. It was more painful than anything you can imagine".  
"Why would they do that?"  
"I don't know". She nuzzled me likely hoping it would help, it really didn't.

Since then I had started then I had started thinking differently though I never noticed myself. "I don't know but I might have a few ideas".

•••

One of the humans opened the door to my room and stood aside, another behind it holding a stick. I knew what the stick was for, I could smell the electrical ozone coming from it's end. I lost my trust in them after the augmentation, and they never did trust me. Snarling I walked out of the room as the white-shirt took lead with stick holder behind me. They led me down a hallway to another room.

Blood. I smelled blood. Stale, dry, blood. Growling, I stopped and stared at the white-shirt. I smelled sweat mix in with the scent of blood as he stared back at me. I felt a sharp object jab into my spine and my vision went black as my head hit the ground.

I roared and struggled against the restraints that bound me. I would have shot plasma if not for the metal plate in front of my mouth. If the plasma hit that, both it and my head would go.

I took a look at my surroundings, three humans wearing their white shirts, along with the one holding the stick, a small silver tray on a table, and something just behind my peripheral vision. Whatever was going to happen here wasn't good. That, I was sure of. They better know whatever they are going to do isn't going to happen without a fight. A human came over and pulled my eyelids apart looking into my eyes. They then continued to measure things about me like wingspan and muscle width. Once they finished they said to the other two humans, "He's ready".

•••

They, kept, me, awake. A blade was run down my spine, splitting the scales and skin clear to the bone. I could feel my skeleton exposed to the air. Needles pierced the cartilage between the vertebrae and I felt my body go numb. For the next hour or so the humans poked cut and did whatever they could. When they were finished they picked me up and dumped me in my room. No, cell. That's what it was, a cell.

Soon enough they'll kill me just because they feel like it! I slowly stood up, in spite of the extremely painful retort from my spine. I glared at the tinted glass window with a growl rising in my throat. The next thing knew I was filtering gas into the back of my mouth and firing a plasma shot at the window. There was a flash of light and a wave of heat as the cell filled with smoke and the smell of ozone. I roared at what I hoped was a dead human and a broken window. Have at me you dirt sucking monkeys! It only took a few seconds before I could smell the odor of burnt flesh. I felt a twinge of pain in the back of my head and blacked out again.

I felt myself smack against something and my eyes snapped open. My spine was screaming in pain and my legs were weak. I saw one of the humans wearing a black thing walk away before my vision returned to darkness.

"Do you see it, young one? There is nothing else like it. The one and only. And soon it shall be yours. Do not worry, when the time comes, you will be ready for the responsibility. Until then, rest well."

I awoke with a roar fleeing from my lungs. Pulling on the restraints that held me down, I felt the muscles in my legs tense and burn. My sight was tainted red. I heard a metallic crack as I felt my left foreleg break free. My other foreleg was freed less than a moment later. I gripped the clamp around my neck and with strength I never knew I had, broke it open. I pulled my hind legs free and slipped my tail out of its own clasp dropping to the floor. Lights were flashing and sirens were blaring.

I human approached me and I could smell two emotions off him. Fear and anger. He wasn't stopping this. No one was. Weak. I leaped onto him sinking my claws into his shoulders and burying my teeth in his neck. I bit down and pulled feeling blood pour down my chin and claws.  
The taste of it filled my mouth and I swallowed whatever amount of the human I ripped off. I left the corpse to rot and dashed out of the room. I was greeted by another human and earned myself a boot to the skull. I sprawled on my back and dazed, I was helpless. I felt myself be picked up before I blacked out, again. This wasn't over yet… Not even close.

•••

I awoke outside this time. The first things I noticed, grass, hot sun, and the smell of someone else. I cracked my eyes open to view them without giving away that I was awake. It was the female from before and she was not having me. I groaned and got to my feet, back still sore from its own ordeal. I could still taste blood in my mouth. I looked at my claws and saw them completely stained with it. She knew what had happened and I wasn't getting out of this.

"Do you want me to explain or do you want to scold me first..?", I attempted to ply here interest.

She took the bait, "Go ahead and explain"

I told her the big story. All the way bag to the Augmentation day. How they had cut me open in so many different ways. I left few details to imagination. I left out the voice in my dreams though. That was irrelevant. When I finished I occupied myself with cleaning my paws while she came up with a response. None came, so I spoke again instead, "I'm gonna get out of this place one way or another. It's only a matter of time. And they know that".

"...take me with you,'' she pleaded.

I stepped over to her and nuzzled her cheek. I replied, "I will".

•••

It turned out, the silvery glinting in the lake was actually a piece of metal that the humans and supposedly accidentally dropped into it as they were building the place. I was betting there was something else to it, but by the time we were able to reach the bottom, we had to go back up for air. The lake was surprisingly deep as well. There was nothing else in it though. Too bad.

I threw up as soon as I was returned to my cell. The remnants of the chunk of human I swallowed in a nice vile puddle on the floor. What was more irritating than the fact that I vomited was that the blob of digested flesh smelled good. I growled and ignored it. The glass was gone. There was an entirely new wall and then some. I didn't know my shot was that powerful. That'll show 'em. So in total, two confirmed kills. I'd say that's pretty good for only being five years old. I did a giddy little prance around my cell once. I calmed myself and remembered the Dream Speaker. Laying down, I pondered what they could've meant. What was it? I had no idea.

•••

I had thought about it for almost three hours and came up with no viable theory as to what the Dream Speaker was referring to. It could be magic. Not too far fetched from what I can already do. I formed another sphere of the Dark in my claws and stared at it as if it was the answers to my questions. I sighed and let it dissipate. Who am I kidding.

It was then my stomach decided was the perfect time to growl. I looked at the reddish blob of digested flesh, my nose catching its unnervingly appetizing scent. I know its instinct for someone to regurgitate food for a hatchling, but this is my own. I'd be no different than a cow if I ate that! I hissed sharply at the slop.

•••

In the end. I ended up forcing myself to eat it. But, I made sure the humans couldn't watch by covering the "camera" they put in my cell with the Dark. I may have lost my dignity but the humans don't know. Better to keep it that way.  
I remained in the cell for an eternity as far as I could tell. The lighting never dimmed so it was impossible to tell when night or day was. They deprived me from food, water, and sleep. I started clawing at the door, leaving small gouges in the material in hopes to get attention. That didn't work. I laid there exhausted for a good twenty four hour period, if not, more. As always, I blacked out a while later.

•••

When I woke, I could barely move. Even breathing was tiring. I forced my eyelids open and peered at the still bland walls of my cell. Well looks like they've left me to die. It's not too surprising. I did kill two of them. I forced myself to stand up. Searing pain tore through my muscles. I ignored it and took a step toward the door of my cell. I lifted my paw to touch it… and then it was gone. The thing vanished from its hinges.

Everything started spinning. I saw the walls of some room painted red with blood. These giant containers with strangely colored water in them filled the room. My sight flashed multiple colors before focusing on one of them. Inside it was a tiny, dark greyish-pink dragon with a tube coming out of its belly. I felt this connection to it for some reason. Urging me to protect it from something I don't know about, for some reason I don't know about. I suddenly felt a pain at the back of my skull so intense, it might as well have been separating my spine from my head. I only stayed conscious long enough to feel it for a single moment.

•••

When I came to, my head filled with a buzzing, like thousands of insects swarming my ears. I couldn't tell where I was. Everything was blurry, hazy, and dim. I felt something in my mouth but couldn't tell what it was. Everything just seemed to be distant. I could barely feel my own heartbeat. I felt something warm brush my forehead. I tried to move, wasn't able to. My paws were numb. My body felt stiff, like a tree. All I could do was let out a small groan as I succumbed to the darkness once again.

•••

I faded in and out of consciousness multiple times. Each time, everything was blurry. My senses were dulled and I was unable to move. I couldn't seem to hold on for longer than a minute. Eventually, everything went blank. No more rousing. Just, nothing. Death seemed to have overcome me.

•••

I would have expected me to be dead, but, low and behold, I had awoken once again. I laid there for a good while, waiting until I was able to move. Slowly feeling my limbs regain sensitivity. I wiggled my claws. Then my tail. Then eventually, my head. Opening my eyes showed me a room. It was white, but the walls seemed to have a tint of color to them, unlike the cell. There were a few objects I could recognize around the room like tables and chairs, even a sofa. A human sat at one of the chairs around the table. He held something and was looking at it very intently. I slowly stood up, testing myself. When I was sure I could move properly, I quietly padded my way over to him. He put what he was holding on the table and looked at me, "You're awake".

I replied' "Who are you?", in which he ignored the question. I felt stupid for just now remembering that humans couldn't understand me.  
I turned around and went back to the spot where I had woken up, sitting on the floor.


End file.
